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I was excited for this game. The Chicago Bears get to play another rebuilding team, buried among a sea of noon games with no infographics about Packers domination or tweet storms disrespecting our beautiful Bears. Just good ol, sloppy Bears football with a decent chance of walking away with a slightly satisfying win.
And that’s basically how it went!
Snap one was a botched exchange between Mustipher and Fields. I that it was a little strange that Lucas Patrick was ready to snap in practice but didn’t end up getting the start at center, but now I get it. His hand would have to be 100% to execute a maneuver like that. Honestly, I think we needed that to keep us from setting our hopes high for an offensive statement game.
The first drive only had one effective passing play, but his running was able to temper the ugliness of botched snaps, guards bumping into quarterbacks, or dropbacks into collapsing pockets as hope slowly ticks away in the quarterback’s hand. He escaped one such hopeless play with a gorgeous gallop down the left sideline for a cool 29 yards.
I was a little worried when I saw Jaylon Johnson was out for today. I mean, the Bears were starting UDFA rookie Jaylon Jones who’s most famous for making you think someone was pronouncing Jaylon Johnson’s name wrong until eventually (possibly now) you broke down and googled him to discover he is in fact a different person and actually on the Bears roster. After the Texans first drive, I’m a little less worried.
Update: The Texans passed for 56 yards and a touchdown on their second drive and now I’m worried again.
If there was any bright spot from last week’s embarrassment in Lambeau, it was David Montgomery’s inspired defender-shaking tackle-breaking 120 yard stomp down of the Packers defense. Khalil Herbert is a good backup but I was optimistic about Montgomery having a truly impressive year. I play his injury falls somewhere between an owie or a booboo.
He’s not inherently inaccurate, but in the first three games he’s had some ugly misses. His [first] interception to Jaylon Pitre looked like it didn’t get out of his hand quite right. My impression is he’s just not comfortable. He looks uncomfortable basically every time he drops back. It’s too early to read too much into this but it’s painful to watch and hard not to feel like it’s the beginning of the same sad pattern of hope to dismay we’ve seen with past Bears QBs. It’s too soon to think that Bears friends. Stop it!
As I write this, Fast Eddie has 2 picks in 2 and a quarter backs. That’s on pace for 15.1111 interceptions. I think the most reasonable thing would be to round up to 16. Gonna be awesome watching this Bear break records. He’s really taking the HITS philosophy and running with it.
The Bears keep changing coaches, GMs, and players. At some point, by dumb luck, they will have a successful offense.
It’s unlocked. Mooney already has his catch for the day. Offense officially leveling up. Is the sky even a limit at this point?
Good for him.
This passing game isn’t going anywhere. If we can get 52 yards on a first down run, I can’t complain about calling runs on a 1st down when most passing plays are disappointing. Getsy has brought a lot of successful wrinkles to the run game, and it’s honestly the best way to be competitive with the Bears personnel. Sprinkle in a simple play-action wide-open pass to EQ Saint B every 4th play and we fine.
I know it led to a Texans scoring drive, but I’ve gotta tip my hat to that. Well played, Lovie. Well played.
Kyler has had missed tackles and missed coverages every game. He’s getting used to a new position and getting used to the level of athletes in the NFL. He can’t catch up as easily as he could in college and he can’t bring pro runners down with one arm. He’s also shown some flash plays. Today it was an impressive screen pass breakup that would have been a 3rd down stop if it weren’t for the above mentioned punt trickery.
Here comes the magic we’ve been anticipating since training camp............ Never mind. Let’s watch some Bears defense.
Update: the next attempt between the two, Fields fires an on target fastball to Moon Bear for a first down and Mooney’s biggest catch of the season.
And still not starting. But he’s doing just fine in a rotational role.
Rookie punter Trenton Gill takes advantage of 5 extra yards of space after a Bears false start and boots a high and well-placed ball to trap the Texans miserable 4th-quarter offense behind their own 10.
The Texans rookie safety punished our 2nd year quarterback with two interceptions and a crucial 4th quarter sack.
If you’ve had a rough start to a contract year, making a 4th quarter game winning interception is a good way to remind people of your worth.
This definitely looked like a game between two rebuilding teams. It’s easy to fixate on Justin Fields because, yes, his development is the biggest determinant of the Bears future success. But let’s wait to fixate on that til there’s something exciting to fixate on. There are some promising things about this young Bears team. The run game is as good as it’s ever been, even with David Montgomery out. The young defensive players are playing better than expected on average, and our new head coach’s defensive system looks like it’s going to work and the team is buying in.
Bears are 2 and 1. In da hunt, baby.
